In video: The victim often goes to SuperCheap, on this occasion to buy some stationery.
First, a short woman wearing a blue blouse and pushing a trolley approaches the victim and asks her if she can hand down an item for her.
The victim does so. At that moment, a woman in a black blouse comes up behind her.
A ladyboy then arrives and speaks to the victim while fiddling with items on the shelves.
The victim doesn’t realise someone has opened her bag until the trio walk away.
Something doesn’t feel right so she checks her bag and finds that the B10,000 has gone.
The video, originally from SuperCheap’s CCTV, came to light after a customer, 32-year-old Lampai Jaisai, reported that she had B10,000 stolen at the store on December 28.
Sayan Naraat, an assistant in SuperCheap’s Security Department, told The Phuket News, “It has never happened before, until this pickpocket gang got this victim̕s money (which was in a roll in her bag). They left as soon as they got the money.”
Mr Sayan explained, “The victim told us these three pickpocket gang members, one of whom is believed to be a ladyboy in a blue shirt, a fat woman in a dark blouse and another woman in a blue shirt, looked at other products and then came to talk with her.
“They were friendly to her and asked her to hand down some products which were on a shelf above her. At that moment, one of them picked the victim’s bag.
“After it happened, we gave our CCTV footage to the victim so that she could inform the police.
“Now we have to be careful and put plainclothes security guard around the store, and pass paper copies of the gang members’ faces around our staff in case they come to SuperCheap again.
“We have evidence to prove they̕ re pickpockets on our video record.”
Pol Col Sermpan Sirikong told us, “Actually, [victims] should not post videos on social media as it might alert the gang.
“The victim should inform us what happened and give us all the evidence. The police can then follow up on the incident.”
Video SuperCheap via Lampai Jaisai